Snow possible in Tuscaloosa as precipitation continues

Thursday

Jan 17, 2013 at 12:01 AM

TUSCALOOSA | Some snow is expected in Tuscaloosa early this morning, but it isn't expected to stick around. An upper level cold front moving across the area will include rain turning into snow around sunrise, said National Weather Service meteorologist Holly Britton in suburban Birmingham.

By Stephanie TaylorStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | Some snow is expected in Tuscaloosa early this morning, but it isn't expected to stick around.An upper level cold front moving across the area will include rain turning into snow around sunrise, said National Weather Service meteorologist Holly Britton in suburban Birmingham.“Expect a trace to a half-inch across the Tuscaloosa area around 6 or 7 a.m.,” she said. “We expect it to start coming down in a heavy snow shower, which will provide a quick burst of heavy snow in an isolated location. Where that happens, we could see a quick accumulation of up to inches in grassy or elevated surfaces like car roofs and porches. As soon as it stops falling, it's going to melt because the ground temperatures are so warm.”That means motorists might encounter slushy, wet roads but not much snow during this morning's commute.The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch Wednesday afternoon for several counties, including Tuscaloosa, Lamar, Fayette and Pickens in West Alabama.Over the past few days, heavy rains hit Lamar County particularly hard.“Lamar County has really had the worst of it,” said Roger McNeil, another meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “As you go further northwest the rainfall totals get heavier.”Yasamie August, a spokeswoman with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, said officials had to block nearly two dozen roads in Lamar, Walker and DeKalb counties because of high water on Wednesday. Today's winter storm watch will last through this afternoon and includes areas north of a line from Aliceville to Jemison to Roanoke. A winter storm watch means there is potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that could affect travel.Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency Director David Hartin said the rural western area of the county will receive less snow than the more populated eastern part.“We could be inconvenienced a little by this,” he said. “It could impact driving and visibility for a brief time period. People need to allow themselves extra time to get to their destinations.”The predicted snow follows days of rain that isn't expected to clear until Saturday.Flooding of some areas near the Black Warrior River led to road closures in areas mostly southwest of Tuscaloosa. As of Wednesday afternoon, Commerce Road, Fosters Loop Road, Riverbend Road, Whitfield Road and South Sandy Road were closed. “These are areas that are typically impacted because of their proximity to the river,” Hartin said.Meanwhile parts of north Alabama could receive 1 inch to 4 inches of snow, with most of the accumulation on grassy areas, the National Weather Service said. Snow could continue possibly into Friday in some places in north Alabama, it said. The biggest threat was northeast of Birmingham, particularly in higher elevations. “We're not forecasting any widespread travel problems, but it's something to watch,” McNeil said. In Tuscaloosa, the Black Warrior River swelled in areas downstream of downtown. A flood watch was scheduled to expire Wednesday night, but a flood warning will extend until Friday. The Oliver Lock and Dam just west of downtown was predicted to rise to 133.7 feet by late Wednesday, almost five feet above the 129 flood stage, but was expected to begin falling by late Wednesday night, Hartin said.